Picture-hanger.



PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

L. THOMAS. PICTURE HANGER. APPL IOATIOH FILED DEC. 21, 1906.

0 7 M M u 6/ 2 2 U\\. #M H i Z UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEMIEL THOMAS, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGN OR OF ON E-THIRD TO ALONZO B.BOYLAN, OF VICTOR, COLORADO, AND ONE-THIRD TO FRANK ADDIS, OF DENVER,COLORADO.

PICTURE-HANGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 14, 1908.

Application filed December 21, 1906. Serial No. 348,881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEMIEL THOMAS, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Picture-Hangers and I dodeclare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accomanying drawings, and to the letters and. gures of reference markedthereon, which form-v a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in picture hangers, of the generalclass set forth in Patent No. 774,140 dated Nov. 1st, 1904.

My present invention relates to certain improvements in hangers of thesaid class, all of which will be fully understood by reference to theaccompanying drawing in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

I11 this drawing, Figure l is a rear view of a picture hangerconstructed in accordance with my invention, the device being shownapplied to a picture which is partly broken away. Fig. 2 is aperspective view showing one member of my improved hanger, the srpringroller being indicated by dotted lines.

his is a view looking approximately in the direction of the arrow inFig. 1 with the parts shown on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a sectionalview taken through one of the spring rollers. Fig. 4 is a section takenon the line 4-4 Fig. 1 looking downwardly.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a spring roller, two of these rollers beingemployed in con- 10 nection with my improvement. Each of these rollersis provided with a spindle 6 having a protruding flattened extremity 7.The spindle is surrounded by a coil spring 8 one extremity of which ismade fast to the spin- :5 (lle as shown at 9, while the oppositeextremity is made fast to the rollers as shown at 10. Each roller isalso provided with a journal 12. I/Vhen the roller is in use, theextremity 7 is held against rotation, while 0 the roller and the journal12 are adapted to rotate. Thus when the roller is turned in onedirection, the tension of the spring is increased while when the rollerturns in the opposite direction, the tension is diminished.

5 As the rollers together with the bracket with rearwardly,

which each is employed, are substantially similar the description of oneset of mechanism will be suflicient.

Each bracket may be designated in its entirety by the numeral 13. Asshown in the drawing this bracket is formed from an integral piece ofwire and is composed of a forward member A occupying a position parallelwith the axis of the roller a rearwardly projecting member B terminatingin a hook O shaped to receive the flattened extremity 7 of the rollerspindle a forwardly projecting member D terminating in an eye E adaptedto receive the journal extremity 12 of the roller; a downwardlyrojecting member F terminating in an eye to receive a fastening deviceas a screw H an upwardly projecting member I terminating at the top inan eye J adapted to receive a fastening screw K; and a member Lprojecting inwardly from the eye J, and thence rearwardly terminating ina wedgeshaped part M adapted to receive the fastening cord or wire N.The three members D, F and I are located at one extremity of the mainmember A, while the member B is located at the opposite extremity of themember A. The two members B and D form the support for the springroller; the two members F and I are used to fasten the bracket to theframe 14 of the picture; while the member M forms at the same time aguide and a fastening device into which the cord or wire is wedged afterthe height of the picture has been properly adjusted. The oppositeextremities are secured to the spring rollers as shown at 15. When thepicture is hung upon a wall,

adapted of the wire or cord N this suspension device is passed over asuitable support. The lower end of the picture frame will rest againstthe wall while its upper extremity will project outwardly therefrom. Itwillv be understood that the picture hanging mechanism is attached tothe frame near the upper extremity of the picture. Now as this extremityof the frame or picture tilts forwardly, the suspension cord or wire iswedged into the V-shaped part M of the bracket, thus locking the wireagainst movement in the bracket and preventing the further winding orunwinding of the roller. When it is desired to change the height of thepicture, it is only necessary to throw the upper extremity of the framewhereby the suspension device will be disengaged or thrown out of the.V-shaped extremity of the part M, thus allowing the suspension deviceto move freely through the member M for purposes of adjustment. has beencompleted, the picture is allowed to assume its normal position, that isto say with its top inclined outwardly, whereby the cord or Wire islocked in the parts M of the brackets.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A picture hanger composed of two cooperating sprin rollers to whichthe opposite extremities of the suspension device are attached, bracketsfor supporting the said rollers, the said brackets being adapted to besecured to the picture frame, eachbracket having a rearwardly projectingwedge-shaped part through which the suspension device passes and inwhich it is wedged, substan tially as described.

2. A picture hanger com osed of two 006 erating spring rollers, brac613$ adapted to l e secured to the picture and forming a support for therollers, a suspension device whose opposite extremities are connectedwith the spring rollers, each bracket being provided with a main art,parts projecting rearwardly from t e extremities of the main part, andforming supports for the opposite extremities of the roller, the brackethaving upwardly and downwardly projecting parts, fastening devices engaing said last named parts, and a rearwardIy projecting wedgeshaped partadapted to receive the suspension device, substantially as described.

3. In a picture hanger, the combination with a suspension device, of aspring roller, a bracket for su porting the roller and adapted to beattachec to the picture, the said bracket being provided with arearwardly rojecting wedge-shaped guide through whici the suspensiondevice passes.

As soon as the adjustment 4. In a bicture hanger, the combination withtwo supports adapted to be secured to the picture frame, each supporthaving a rearwardly extending arm provided with a slot convergingrearwardly, of two rods mounted one in each of said supports below therearwardly extending arm, two spools rotatively mounted on said rods resectively, a suspension cord extending tirough said slots in said armsand adapted when properly positioned therein to be locked againstmovement lengthwise therein and having its ends secured to and adaptedto be wound on said spools respectively, and two coil springs encirclingsaid rods respectively, each spring having its ends secured respectivelyto the adjacent rod and spool.

5. In a picture hanger, the combination with a suspension cord, of asring-actuated, taking-up mechanism provic ed with means for beingsecured to a picture frame and secured to and provided with means fortaking up the end of the suspension cord when the weight of the pictureis removed from said cord, and releasable means for engaging said cordand looking it against movement lengthwise in either direction.

6. In a picture hanger, the combination with a suspension cord, of twospring actuated taking-up mechanisms provided with means for beingsecured to the picture frame, each taking-up mechanism having means forengaging and taking up one end of the suspension cord when the weight ofthe picture frame is removed therefrom, and two looking devices forreleasably engaging and holding the suspension cord against lengthwisemovement in either direction.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEMIEL THOMAS.

Witnesses:

DENA NELSON, A. G. EBERT.

